Lake Balboa Bike Path

Calling all nature lovers! Covering 80 acres, the Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area is a great spot to explore the outdoors right in the heart of the San Fernando Valley. In addition to playgrounds and parks, it also features the beautiful Lake Balboa. The path around the lake is fairly flat, offering an easy trek for novice riders, but it’s by no means boring. There’s tons to look at, especially in the spring when the cherry blossom trees are in bloom. After your ride, relax by the lake, where your little explorers will love watching the ducks and swans swimming around.

Insider Tip: For little kids, avoid the larger bike path that runs nine miles around the entire basin and take the shorter, off-street loop around Lake Balboa. Begin on the path from the east side of the lake and head past the Japanese Garden. 

Online: laparks.org/aquatic/balboa

Lacy Park

For a super simple ride, perfect for beginning bikers, check out the 3/4 mile loop at Lacy Park in San Marino. The refurbished wide, paved path that makes a loop around the center of the park is an ideal place to practice brand new bicycle skills. With soft grass along both sides of the path, there’s always a safe place to stop (or great for cushioning those learning falls). After you ride, you’ll definitely want to take some time to explore the rose garden and the playground. If you’re not a San Marino resident, entrance to the park is $5 on weekends.  Kids 4 and under are free.

Insider Tip: Bikes are not permitted on the outer loop (walking path) of Lacy Park and even bikes on the inner loop are not permitted to zoom around at top speeds. That’s why this park is ideal for training wheel warriors!

Online: cityofsanmarino.org

Chandler Bike Path

Converted from railroad tracks in 2004, this two-way concrete path runs through Burbank, starting near Victory Blvd., into the artsy section of North Hollywood, ending at Vineland Ave. It’s not a loop, but it’s fairly straight and almost completely flat making the ride easy-breezy for beginners. (It’s about 3 miles each way.) There are lights at major intersections and stop signs along the way, which keeps the cars cruising parallel to the path from going too fast. Kids can check out Burbank’s tiny homes on Chandler Ave., which give way to art murals in NoHo.   

Insider tip: You may want to start at Cahuenga and head east into Burbank to avoid a cluster of homeless encampments that have cropped up in the other direction. 

Online: burbankca.gov

The Jeff Seymour Family Center Bicycle Park

Jim Shanman, Executive Director of Walk ‘n Rollers—a community outreach program that encourages kids to bike to and from school and runs Safe Routes to School guidance, bicycle and pedestrian safety programming and community workshops—alerted us of this bicycle park in El Monte. Run by the El Monte community, this is a great spot for beginners and intermediate riders to practice and test their skills. Picture super fun pump tracks, lumber elevated trails, dirt rollers, a teeter, and more. 

10900 Mulhall St.
El Monte, CA

Online: activesgv.org/bike-park

Watts Towers Bike Path

Combine art and bike riding with this path that puts you up close and center with living history, Watts Towers. There are two paths, both relatively short, around the towers—one to the north in the park and one to the west on Graham Ave.

Kids in Need of Bikes

Learning to ride a bike is a rite of passage for kids but not everyone is so fortunate to have access to the two-wheeler freedom ride. Walk ‘n Rollers, the non-profit that provides bicycle and safety programming for communities, recognized the disparity and during the pandemic started a bike repair hub. “We discovered there are lots of used bikes in our communities and there and lots more kids that need some wheels. We immediately started collecting and repairing used bicycles. Within the next six months we received over 100 requests and have fulfilled 80 of them.” 

If you want to help provide kids with a bike who don’t have access to them, consider supporting this effort via their GoFundMe page. “The funds we are seeking will cover the cost of a freight container to store the bikes, parts, tools and supplies we need to successfully make this part of our regular programming. Any additional funds will allow us to bring free bike repair workshops to low income communities in and around the Los Angeles area. 

Online: gofundme.org/bikerepairhub